


Errand Boy

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: South Park
Genre: M/M, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Stick of Truth AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 08:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16615274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: Butters wasn't sure being a paladin was the same as being a page. Stan knew damn well it wasn't. Why run errands for Eric when they could do something fun, instead?(Stutters week day 3: fantasy)





	Errand Boy

**Author's Note:**

> So let's start this off by saying it's a prequel to the classic hit (said no one ever), [Dearly Detested](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15129398/chapters/35082176). **Warning - it's a Kyman fic, though this fic has nothing to do with Kyman itself.**

Leopold Stotch was a strange young man. He was the son of a holy man, a priest, though it was no secret that Stephen was only a man of God by name and not by action. As a result, poor little Leo was always strange. He had no friends, and mostly kept to himself.

That is, until the young king Eric had taken him under his wing.

It was an honour to be part of the king’s entourage. It came with being treated lower than dirt, rebranded under a different name, and consistently feeling worthless, but it was no different to being at home. No more was he Leopold Stotch, he was now Butters the Merciful. It was a terrible name, but it was given to him by his king; a high honour indeed.

Through Eric, Butters was able to meet the princess and one of Eric’s guards, Stan. He was cute, he was sweet, and he had no issues telling the king to shut up. They were childhood friends, which Butters suspected was the only reason Stan was allowed to yell at Eric.

When Butters had dedicated his life to serve Eric, he did not think it entailed serving his every whim. He failed to see how fetching things from town or completing various errands for Eric were the duties of a paladin, but the young king has a silver tongue. Before Butters knew it, he was doing exactly what he insisted he would not do. Butters had given up on saying no.

He was in town picking up a book for Eric - something apparently none of his pages could fetch - but decided to take a moment for himself to look around. Butters was never allowed time for himself, and maybe just this once, it was alright.

It was nice to be among the bustle of crowds, for once. The merchants all shouted over each other, competing for sales. The weaponsmith stared at Butters while he polished a sword, and Butters quickly looked away. Why didn't he do this more often?

“Butters!”

He gasped sharply, almost dropping the book. He turned around and saw Stan, and Butters knew he was in trouble.

“Please don't tell the king I was goofing off!” Butters said.

“Dude, calm down, I don't care,” Stan shrugged. “I didn't think I'd see you here. I didn't think he let you out of the castle.”

“I have errands to run for him.” Butters gestured to the book, and Stan frowned.

“Come get a drink with me,” Stan said.

Butters tried to argue, but Stan already had him by the arm. Before he knew it, he was sat at a bench in a tavern. This was not his usual hangout, and he felt like people were staring at him. Stan ordered wine and beer for them, and Butters saw no point in trying to argue against him. He was out of place - a brightly coloured man in a dull tavern.

Butters clung to the book like his life depended on it, looking around at everyone. He was surrounded by drunk men, and he did not have his hammer to defend himself. He should have brought it, but he didn't know he would need it.

“Relax. No one's gonna stab you,” Stan said.

“I'm relaxed. Just gotta protect the book is all,” Butters whispered.

“Acting like it's a holy artefact is the easiest way of getting stabbed.”

Butters wasn't going to tell him that Stan was not being helpful. Butters put the book on his lap and kept his hands on it, tapping the surface with his fingers. He looked around, a bead of sweat forming at his temple.

“I don't drink, you know,” Butters said.

Stan shrugged. “One drink won't hurt.”

Maybe not, but Butters wasn't a fan of drinking - not that he had ever had a drink before. He grabbed the goblet of wine and swirled it around, staring down at the liquid. One drink wouldn't hurt. Butters took a sip, and Stan smiled at him. He took a swig of his beer, before leaning his arms against the table.

“Is acting like a page part of paladin duties? I thought you were just a holy warrior,” Stan said.

“Well, sort of,” he mumbled, staring at his hands. “But if my king needs me…”

“You're allowed to say no. You  _ should _ say no. If this isn't what you're supposed to be doing, then tell him.”

That sounded like such a simple solution to Butters, but it wasn't that easy. Anything less than a yes to Eric was treason, and Butters did not fancy his chances at the guillotine. He frowned - he didn't have the advantages Stan did. He didn't realise how lucky he was.

Butters didn't know what Stan wanted from him. They weren't friends, more like colleagues, and he never showed interest in friendship before. Butters should have finished his drink and gone, but he didn't want to. He was interested in Stan - not in a romantic way, but there was an interest he couldn't explain.

Stan looked around, before leaning in even closer. He gestured for Butters to lean in with him, and he did, now close enough to feel Stan's breath on his face. For a split second, Butters wondered if Stan was going for a kiss, but why would he? He shook off the thought. He was so stupid.

“Sometimes, I think about leaving Kupa Keep and going to the elves,” Stan whispered. “No more Cartman. No more of this.”

“But the elves are awful, and Eric said the elven king--"

“Duh. Of course he's gonna say bullshit. But it's gotta be better than here,” Stan said.

It wasn't as if the elves were any better. They definitely would not welcome humans, especially not ones close to Eric. Butters rubbed his knuckles together, his anxiety rising. He couldn't imagine running away.

“I-- I dunno Stan, I like it here,” Butters mumbled. “And what makes you think they wouldn't kill on sight?”

Stan had a small smile. “I'm friends with the high elf, dude. That's how I know.”

This was news to Butters, and Eric certainly would not have been pleased about this. He was jealous and possessive, and the mere  _ idea _ that one of ‘his’ people would leave him would have sent him into a rage.

“You don't have to come with me. It's just an idea if you hate it here,” Stan said.

“Aw, no, I'll be alright.”

Weeks passed since then. Stan smiled at Butters more in the halls, and Butters smiled back. They had short conversations as they bumped into each other - sometimes, Stan would ask Butters to come with him. Every time, Butters said no.

How Butters wished he had taken that offer.

The aftermath of Stan's betrayal was brutal. Butters had to deal with Eric flickering between anger and a deep depression - that disgusting elf had stolen one of his best friends. Butters didn't have the gall to tell him that if Eric was nicer, Stan would have stayed. Instead, Butters held him during one of his many crying fits, patting his back gingerly.

Eric called for war like a child throwing a tantrum. The princess had told him not to, but since when did Eric listen to anyone? That was how Butters ended up on a battlefield, somewhere between the elven forest and Kupa Keep.

It was hard seeing Stan on the other side. Butters didn't know what to do, and from the look on Stan's face, he didn't know either. Butters looked away and pretended not to see Stan, instead focusing on the other elves.

Eric did not like that.

“You're such a little bitch!” Eric spat. “Stan was right there, and you ignored him!”

“But I-- it's Stan,” Butters said.

“Yeah, that's why you shouldn't show mercy! He's one of them now!”

To Butters, Stan would never be one of the elves. He was a human, one of the few who ever showed him some sort of decency. Eric was right, he was a traitor, but better to be a traitor than to be Eric. Butters wished he could have been with Stan, instead.

He was glad when the war was finally over, when the elves and humans finally put it all behind them. The stick was thrown into the sea, the tides rendering it untraceable. Eric wasn't happy with this, but Butters was. It was finally over.

The truce was shaky at best, but it was a truce nonetheless. The best thing about the truce was the royal visits. Butters didn't care for Kyle, but he brought along one very important person.

“Long time no see, Stan,” Butters said with a smile.

Stan smiled back at him. “It felt like forever.”

With Kyle and Eric busied by arguing behind closed doors, it gave Stan and Butters a chance to talk. It was good to see him again, no matter how much time had passed. Butters was glad for the truce, but not for any noble reason. He only wanted to talk to Stan.

**Author's Note:**

> I've reaaaaaally wanted to expand on these two more. Thank you, Stutters week!
> 
> Anyway follow me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com/)


End file.
